Combined mail box and reflected sign



Nov. 6, 1934- H. w. BENNETT El AL. 1,979,727

COMBINED MAIL BOX AND REFLECTED SIGN Original Filed May 19, 1930 2 Sheets 5heet Nov. 6, 1934.

H, W. BENNETT El' AL COMBINED MAIL BOX AND REFLECTED SIGN Original Filed May 19, 1930 2 sheets sheet 2 [n venions Aiorney Patented Nov. 6, 1934 COMBINED MAIL BOX AND REFLECTED SIGN Herman W. Bennett and Frank Townsley, Owensboro, Ky; said Townsley assignor to said Bennett Refiled for abandoned application Serial No.-

453,820, May 19, 1934].

This application March 2, 1934, Serial No. 713,762

Claims.

This application is a substitute for application Serial No. 453,820, filed May 19, 1930, which is abandoned.

This invention relates to an improved mail box and it has more particular reference-to a multiple or compound structure which embodies a plurality of features, whose functions are co-related in a manner to produce a complete entity which it is believed will better fulfill the requirements of a device of this class.

Briefly stated, the improved structure comprises a letter receptacle or box whose upper side is equipped with a reflecting mirror, over which is a frame-like panel carrying a mail receiving trayand inverted numerals representative of the number of the house and arranged to be reflected from the mirror to render them readily visible to the mail carrier.

Manyother and more specific features of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following description anddrawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational View of adevice constructed in accordance with the present invention, showing the manner in which the numbers are reflected from the mirror.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a central transverse vertical section taken approximately upon the plane of the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an end elevation of the structure on a slightly reduced scale.

Figure 5 is an inverted perspective View of n the numeral carrying and outgoing mail receiving tray.

Figure 6 is a horizontal fragmentary sectional view showing the supporting bracket.

The complete assembly may well be seen by referring principally to Figure 3 in conjunction with the other views. In Figure 3, the reference character '7 designates a suitable support which may be a post, house or the like. Carried by this are attaching brackets 8 of the configuration better shown in Figure 6. The complete device is pivotally and adjustably mounted on the outer end portions of these brackets as indicated at 9 and the device is bodily adjustable in a vertical arc either up or down as indicated by the arrows in Figure 4. Incidentally, this device must be adjusted according to the elevation at which it is placed on the support. The reference character 10, designates the box or receptacle into which the mail is placed by the carrier. This is normally supported in a downwardly and forwardly inclined position and is provided at its mail. .iOne edge is bent .up, asat 22, to provide a flange which extends :along one side, .oicthe .the box or receptacle 10 is bent vor otherwise formed as at 16 to provide a channel shaped retaining rim in which'the reflecting mirrorvl'l is removably arranged. It is this mirror which is intended to reflect the house :number. Supported above the mirror and in a substantially horizontal plane is a frame 18, andresting re- 'movably in this is av glass panel 19. This 'isa clearglass panel. Also removablysupported on the frame is a cover20, in the form of ashallow tray 21. This is intended toreceive outgoing entrance slot, and in spaced parallelism to the name plate 14 as seen plainly in Figure 3. The marginal portion of this tray is bent into channel shaped configuration as at 23, to form a sort of clip which fits removably upon the frame 18.

As shown in Figure 5, the under side of this tray is provided with the house numerals 24. These may be painted but are preferably embossed. In practice, it has been found that these numerals should be made of a glossy material and they of course assume the inverted position seen in Figure 5. Hence, when the tray is put in position, the numerals rest down upon the plain glass panel 9 and in a position over the mirror to be reflected from the mirror when the device is in the position seen in Figure 1.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the gist of the invention is in the provision of an adjustably mounted device embodying a downwardly inclined mail box equipped with a reflecting mirror, and an outstanding overlying frame constituting a part of the panel and carrying the glass plate and outgoing mail tray, these parts being so associated as to permit the. desired reflection of the house number from the mirror and yet to permit introduction of the mail and easy removal from the box. This is thought to be a unique combination of features and an unusually novel contribution to the art.

It is understood that the numbers are illuminated, or rather reflected from the mirror either by artificial or natural light. For example daylight, or light beams from specially provided lamps within the vicinity are deflected from the mirror 17 against the under side of the frame 18 and this illuminates the numbers sufi'iciently so that they are reflected from the inclined mirror.

A careful consideration of the description in conjunction with the drawings will enable the reader to obtain a clear understanding of the construction, operation, features and advantages. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Minor changes in the shape, size, and rearrangement of details coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to, in actual practice, if desired.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new is:

1. In a structure of the class described, in combination, a support, attaching brackets connected to said support, an article receptacle adjustably mounted on said brackets and adapted to assume a forwardly and downwardly inclined position, a reflecting mirror carried by said receptacle, a frame also carried by the receptacle and disposed at a substantially acute angle with respect to the receptacle and adapted to assume an approximately horizontal plane, and numerals car,- ried by said frame and located over said mirror whereby to permit the numerals to be reflected from the mirror.

2. In a structure of the class described, a mail box having a mail entrance slot and a discharge opening, a closure for said opening, a reflecting mirror carried by said box, an indicating means also carried by said box and disposed over the mirror to be reflected from the mirror, said indicating means comprising a frame, a clear glass panel supported in said frame, a plate supported in said frame and provided with numerals visible through said panel and projectible by way of reflection from said mirror.

3. In a structure of the class described, a mail box adapted to be supported in a downwardly inclined position and provided at its upper end with a mail entrance slot and having a top portion fashioned to provide a retaining rim, provided with a mail outlet and a closure for said outlet, a reflecting mirror mounted in said rim and having its reflecting face disposed upwardly, a frame attached to said box and extending forwardly from the mail entrance slot and overlying said mirror, and a tray mounted on said frame and provided on its bottom with numerals adapted to be reflected in said mirror.

4. In a structure of the class described, a pair of attaching brackets, a mail box adjustably mounted on said brackets and adapted to assume a forwardly and downwardly inclined position, said box being provided at its upper end with a mail intake slot and at its bottom with a mail discharge opening and a complemental closure forsaid opening, the upper portion of the box being provided with a retaining rim, a reflecting mirror removably mounted in said rim, a name plate adapted for vertical disposition on the uppermost end wall of said box, a frame adapted to assume a substantially horizontal position, a glass plate mounted in said frame, an outgoing mail tray removably attached to said frame, said tray being provided on its bottom with numerals visible through said glass plate and reflectable in said mirror.

5. In a mail box structure of the class described, a relatively fixed support, a mail box adjustably mounted on said support and assuming a forwardly and downwardly inclined position with respect to said support, a reflecting mirror carried by the upper side of said mail box and visible to the mailman when passing within the vicinity of said mailbox, and an indicia equipped device supported from said mailbox and disposed at a substantially acute angle with respect to the upper portion of the box and assuming a substantially horizontal plane with respect to the ground, the indicia thereon being arranged over said mirror for the purpose of reflection.

FRANK TOWNSLEY.

HERMAN W. BENNETT. 

